15 April 2006
Vernon Chorale starts season with new artistic director
By NANCY CONNELLY The Reminder
Fall 2006
[inspic=13,left,fullscreen,thumb]VERNON — Ehren Brown may be new to his position as artistic director of the Vernon Chorale, but he is certainly not new to the organization.
In 2003, he was appointed assistant conductor of the chorale and served in that capacity under his mentor, former Artistic Director Mark Singleton. “I’m not certain where I’d be now in my musical career, if it weren’t for the Vernon Chorale,” said Brown. “It was a wonderful opportunity to work with my mentor, Mark Singleton. As a music student, I had been taught to take every opportunity to conduct, and to conduct anything I could: voice, instrumental, kazoo. The point was to gain experience. Being offered the opportunity with the Vernon Chorale was a wonderful experience.”
Brown began his association with the chorale years before, as an undergrad at the University of Connecticut. He participated in the chorale as a choral fellow at first, a position reserved for eight undergraduate students. At the time, he was studying at UConn and participating in a variety of choral groups on campus, as well.
A music education major, Brown focused his studies on choral music, but can also play piano, guitar and saxophone. After he completed his undergraduate work, he taught for a year at Lebanon Middle School before pursuing his graduate degree in choral music.
“The way I got into my graduate program reflects directly back to Vernon Chorale,” said Brown. “As assistant conductor, I was assigned the leadership role for the June concert. Dr. Peter Bagley, head of the Choral Department at UConn, attended a concert rehearsal and observed my conducting. Afterward, he told me that had been my audition. He asked me to study with him and offered me a halftime teaching assistant position in the chorale office.”
The position of artistic director was advertised in February, when Singleton decided it was time for a change. “I knew this was the position I wanted. The timing seemed perfect. Mark was ready to step down, and I was ready to begin something new.”
Even though Brown had a long-standing relationship with the chorale, there was a comprehensive search for a new artistic director. “I knew there were other candidates for the position,” he said. “The board was very professional and did a wonderful job with the search. It was narrowed down to four auditions.”
Brown was selected as artistic director close to the time he completed his graduate work in May. “It is very exciting. The board is being very helpful,” he said. “At first, I wondered about the transition to artistic director, but that concern vanished almost immediately. Everyone has been so welcoming and responsive.”
In his new capacity, Brown seeks to expand on what the chorale has been doing and wants to focus on the town of Vernon. “I want people to know about the chorale and that we are here in town. I would also like to do some outreach into local high schools and perhaps get involved as a guest conductor.”
Brown had high praise for the chorale’s accompanist, Kathleen Bartkowski. “Kathleen is an incredible accompanist. She has a wide variety of experiences and has her Master’s degree in music. I had worked with her in Manchester and really enjoy working with her now.” He also spoke highly of Associate Conductor Jonathan Richter, who has just graduated from UConn with his degree in music education. Richter also directs a church choir in Coventry and a choir in Suffield.
Vernon Chorale recently completed auditions for its new season. There are presently 30 members. Three concerts will be held this year, in December, April and June. The first concert is scheduled for Dec. 17 at 5 p.m., at First Congregational Church of Vernon. It will focus on Christmas and seasonal music. According to Brown, the works will be pleasing and familiar, with a dash of the unexpected.
Brown indicated that one of the aspects he likes best about the Vernon Chorale is that it is a fully-auditioned choir of amateurs. “How scary would it be if music and art were only left to professionals?” Brown said. “That’s not a world I want to live in.”
Source: Rockville Reminder
